In Africa, agriculture is largely based on low-input and small-holder
farming systems that use little inorganic fertilizers and have limited
access to irrigation and mechanization in comparison to modern
agricultural systems. Improving agricultural practices and developing
new cultivars adapted to these low-input environments, where production
already suffers from climate change, is a major priority for ensuring
food security in the future. Root phenes improving water and nutrient
uptake could represent a solution toward achieving these goals. In this
review, we illustrate how breeding for specific root phenes could
improve crop adaptation and resilience in Africa using three case
studies covering very contrasted low-input agro-ecosystems. We conclude
with a discussion on how these phenes could be validated and made
available to breeders and agronomists.